CAG Rafale report: Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has said the CAG report on Rafale deal holds no value as the man who was then a negotiator was now preparing the audit report. The Congress party has raised questions on the credibility of the report alleging a conflict of interest in Rajiv Mehrishi's role as Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

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NewsX Bureau

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Updated

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13 February 2019,

11:04 AM

Congress president Rahul Gandhi is likely to address the media on the Rafale report by CAG after its presentation in the Parliament

CAG Rafale report: On the last day of Budget Session of Parliament, the much-awaited report on the Rafale deal will be tabled in Parliament amid an intensive political war between the BJP and the Congress. The Congress has raised questions on the credibility of the report alleging a conflict of interest in Rajiv Mehrishi’s role as Comptroller and Auditor General of India. The party has urged Mehrishi to recuse himself the audit of the Rafale fighter jet deal with France. Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge Wednesday said the CAG report on Rafale deal holds no value as the man who was then a negotiator was now preparing the audit report.

Raising objections to CAG, Kharge said Mehrishi was associated with the decision making on defence purchase when the Rafale fighter jet deal was signed. Congress president Rahul Gandhi is likely to address the media on the Rafale report by CAG after its presentation in the Parliament.

Mallikarjun Kharge on CAG report on Rafale deal to be presented before Parliament today: Today we will come to know what is in that report. But they have already told SC what their intention is, in a sealed envelope. On its basis, they said in SC that there's no scam in prices. pic.twitter.com/fCJU0GU86B

Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Sigh, Mallikarjun Kharge and other senior leaders of the Congress party attended a general body meeting of Congress Parliamentary party in New Delhi. The meeting comes just a few months ahead of parliamentary elections due by May.

Meanwhile, The Hindi publication today said that NDA’s Rafale deal was not on better terms that the offer made by Dassault Aviation to the UPA government to the erstwhile UPA government for the procurement of 126 aircraft.

The controversial Rafale deal has taken the centre stage in Indian politics with crucial Lok Sabha elections just a few months away. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been accusing the Prime Minister Narendra Modi of stealing Rs 30, 000 crore from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to benefit Anil Ambani. The Congress president raises Rafale deal in almost his all media appearances.